Method of making dies



Oct. 18, 1932. A. R. BRADEN 1,883,335

METHOD OF MAKING DIES Filed April 17, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 18, 1932. A. R. BRADEN 1,333,335

METHOD OF MAKING DIES Filed April 17,1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 18, 1932 pairs nrnnar n. runners, on BEVERLY,MASSACHUSETTS;-ASSIGNOR. T0 UNITED SHOE- IvIAOHENERY' COB. JERSEY Application Linea April 17,

My invention relates to die-making,"hav ing particular reference to the manufacture of clicking dies for cut-out work.

In pumps or like footwear, a common practice is to produce, in a vamp or other part, a design formed by a combination of perforations. The perforating portions of. dies for this purpose, so far as I am aware, have heretofore been machined from a. solid 10. piece of tool-steel, there being thus formed the desired openings surrounded by cutting edges. Dies manufactured in this manner are relatively expensive,since the'operation is necessarily slow and requires highly skilled e workmen. The present invention has asan object the production of dies made up of separate units readily formed, accurately as-- sembled in the chosen design and securely maintained in position, all the operations 9 being of such a character as to permit them to be performed rapidly by workmen having little experience. In the attainment of this object, die-elements, as punches sharpened to furnish cutting edges, are formedto correto be reproduced and these elements, and suchencircling die-elements as frames or knives, are arranged upon a support in ac cordance with the pattern. To each element 30 is applied a force acting to retain it'in the relation in which it was arranged. Then the elements are secured together in the re lations established by the pattern as by metal, which may be poured upon the sup port into contact with said elements. This molten metal, which preferably has a relatively low melting point as compared with that of the material of the elements themselves, upon hardening locks theparts together permanently in the design in which they were disposed on the support, with the cutting edges of the elements projecting beyond the surface of the metal. The retaining force is preferably magnetic, the support being of magnetic material- This force is easily withdrawn by cutting ofi the magnetizing current, thus permitting the arrange ment of the elements, and, when applied, fixing them in position without displacement.

To avoid too quickand uneven chilling of spond to each unit of the design or pattern tus, taken on the line IIIIII I-OHATION, OF PATEBSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW METHOD or MAKING DIES 1929. Serial-No. 355,923;

the molten metal I, prefer to heat the support. My method" disclosed herein involves the production of the punch elements from: tubes which are heated and subjected to pressure upon a form, these elementsor punches being supported in the desired relation in a frame, and secured by the introduction of molten metal, as already indicated, For some transverse contours of the punches, such a single swaging operation may be sufficient before the elements are sharpened, assembled andsecured. But when, for example,a. punch includes abrupt angles, a succeeding operation may be desirable, a form being forced into the punch to change its' contour. It may at thesame time create a, taper or otherwise. alter the form of the punch longitudinally, giving a clearance for the discharge of the cut material. I It is to be understoodthat,while with punches thus made and assembled it is desirable to retain them magnetically upon their support an d to heat said support, these'steps are not essential to this phase of the invention.

The accompanying drawings illustrate particular means for performing the steps, of my, invention. H s I In Fig. 1 is shown in perspective ,an apparatus in which tubes maybe swaged to punch-form for use 1 0. Fig. 2 illustrates in perspective a form Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the form and a portion of the swaging apparaofFig. 1-; I

F 1g. l is a perspective View of theblank produced by the swaging operation;

Fig.5 is a similar view of a portion of a press employed for perfecting theform of the blank;

'Fig. 6 is a section on the line VIVI, of r Fig. 7 shows in perspective the blank of Fig. 4 after it has been operated upon by the apparatus of Figs.- 5and 6;

Fig; 8 is a perspective view of 'a heater which may be employed for preparing thetubular stock for swaging;

. Fig. 9 illustrates in perspective the retain-- place, and prevents accidental mental walls of the recesses.

provided with sectionsof steel-tubing of various diameters and corresponding in length to the punches to be made, and with. their walls of appropriate thickness. One of these sections isshown at T in Fig. 2 of the drawings. For each size and transverse'contour of punch to be manufactured, there would be a corresponding form 10 to act within the tube, and opposite swaging blocks 12 and 14' (Fig. 1) to act upon the outside. The blocks have opposite recesses, which are the complements of the opposite sides of the form 10. "They are respectively held removably upon an abutment 16 fixed upon a base 18, and a slide 20 traveling in ways 22 extending horizontally above the base. Fulcrumed upon the base, at the extremity of the slide 20, is an eccentric-lever 24, acting to force said slide toward an abutment 16. The form 10 is mounted upon a handle 28 and is presented to the blocks 12 and 14 at the correct height by a slotted rest 29, on whichthe handle is supported. In the handle are opposite de-' pressions 30, 30 to receive the edges of the rest 29 at the sides of the slot. This engagement insuresthe correct presentation of the tube upon the form longitudinally of the block-recesses. A rest 32, for the outer portion of the handle, is situated neartho edge of the base and has a shank upon which is a thread, it being thus capable of adjustment by a nut 34 engaging the thread and contacting with the upper surface of the base. It

may be retained in the chosen position by a set-screw 36 threaded through the side of the base and contacting with the shank. This adjustment provides for leveling the form and tube horizontally. A spring-pressed plunger 38, movable through the face of the block 12, bridges the space between this and the companion block when the work is in upward displacement of the form and tube. Before the swaging operation, the tube-section which is to be operated upon is preferably heated in afurnace 41, this appearing in Fig. 8'as of the electric type. The form 10 is introduced into the hot tube, and positioned upon the rests 29 and 82 between the recesses of the blocks 12 and 14. At this time, the camlever 24 is so turned that the slide 20 may be withdrawn. Then the lever is swung to force the cam-portion against the slide and the block 14 into engagement with the tube, which is thus pressed into shape between the opposite sides of the form and the comple- Upon removing ber also provides a rest for the form and its handle 28 when not in active use.

The blank 5, as illustrated, has three compartively abrupt angles a, which, at the inside where the cutting edge is to be, may not be sharply enough outlined by the swaging operation. In such a case, the contour may be perfected, or the form otherwise changed, by the apparatus of Figs. 5 and 6. There is illustrated here a base 40, upon uprights 42, 42 of which ismounted a vertically sliding cross-head 44 reciproca-ted by power mechanism (not illustrated). The base carries a removable holding device or fixture 46, which includes a stationary recessed wall 48 and an opposite recessed wall 50. The recess furnished between the two walls generally resembles the transverse contour of the blank I) which is to be received, though, as its function is merely that of retaining the blank to receive the action of a forming tool, the correspondence need not be exact. A1352, ledges projecting in from the bottoms of the walls serve to support a blank to be operated upon, while overhanging plates 54, secured upon the tops of the walls, retain said blank against upward displacement. The wall 50 is shown as pivoted at'56 upon the companion wall, to permit it to be swung clear thereof, thus providing for the introduction of the blank. A cam-lever 58 is fulcrumed upon the base 40'at the outer side of the wall 50, to apply clamping pressure to this. Depending from the cross-head 44, and alined with the space between the recessed walls 48 and 50, is forming tool60. The transverse contour of this tool is preferably precisely that which the punch being made is to possess. It is tapered gradually, its sides con.- verging downwardly, so that it will not only perfect the form of the blank into which it is forced, but will also incline the walls of this between the opposite ends, providing the necessary draft for the discharge of the cut pills. In the employment of this forming apparatus, the wall 50 is freed by the lever 58, raised, and a blank 6 placed upon the ledges 52. The movable wall is thereupon returned to its normal position and clamped by the lever. Upon putting the press into operation, the tool 60 descends through the opening between the cover-plates 54, 54, into the blank Z), and forces its way through this, giving the in teriorits final form. When the cross-head rises, the tool 60 is withdrawn, at which time the formed blank B, particularly illustrated in Fig; 7, is prevented from following the tool by the overhang of the plates 54. 7 Reand tin suitable for this purpose.

-moved from the support.

lease of the lever and elevation of the wall .frees the blank.

When the blank Bzh-ag bee y h r e at its smaller extremity, it furnishes a complet-v frame, this arrangement producing a cut-out portion only inthe stock operated-upon; a knife may furnish the frame,--so a piece of stock with a contained design may be cut by a single operation; or the punches in a them in the chosen design, it will be seen that frame may be mounted withina knife. In the last instance, the result attained is the same as when the punches and knife are permanently secured to one another, exceptthat different assemblages of punches may be used with the same knife. The cut-out die separable from the knife is whatis illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. In making such-a die as is there shown, the punches P are placed upon a supportin the form of a plate 62 and surrounded by a frame F of steel, this frame being of considerably less height than the punches, to allow for the cutting action of the latter. In the frame, the punches are ranged in accordance with a perforated pattern or templet. Within the support, which is of iron, are mounted coils, one 64: being a magnetizing coil, and one or more 66 being heating coils or units. The latter are shown as in close proximityto the upper supporting surface of the plate, where the assembled die rests. Electric current is passed through i the coil 64, magnetizing the support and thus exerting upon the punches and frame a force which retains them firmly in the, relation which has been determined by the templet. WVith this magnetic retaining means, there is no danger of displacing the die-elements-in effecting their retention. Current is also passed through the coil or coils 66, so the support and die-elements are heated. ,Molten metal is now pouredwithin the frame upon the support, surrounding the punches'to'substantially the top of theframe. The metal employed is preferably a relatively soft and readily fusible alloy. I havefound a mixture of approximately equal parts of lead Solder and type-metal may also be used. The heat of the support and die-elements allows the metal to flow uniformly without premature chilling, which would tend to make it uneven in texture and weaken the attachment'of the the punches is necessary. If a piece of stock of a particular form and containing the cutout design is to be produced at the same time -as said design, the frame F is provided with opposite lugs f adapted to enter corresponding recesses in the pressure-receiving edge of a surrounding knifeD having a cutting edge ofthe desired contour. Securing screws and pins pass through openingsin the lugs into registering openings inthe body-of theknife,

The cut-out die d is thus made separable from the knife D, and other combination'sof'an externaloutline and contained designmay be arranged. l

Throughout the various operations making the die-elements and assembling little skill iscalled for, t he formingandan ranging being mechanically determined, and:

that but a short time is necessary for the per forming of any step of the method. '.The resulting dies are strong and in their outlines.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters ing to eachcutting element a force acting' to retain it as arranged upon the support,

and securing the cutting elements togetherv in the relation established form the die.

by the pattern to are accurate 2. The method; of making cutting dies from patterns made up of separate designun1ts',wh1chcons1sts1n forming a cutting element corresponding to each design-unit, sharpening each element to furnish a cutting edge havingthecontour .of a unit of the design, arranging the cutting elements upon a support of magnetic material under the guidance of the pattern in accordance with the design to be cut, magnetizing the support to retain the cutting elements in the relation establishedby the pattern, 'and'securing the from patterns made up of separate desi m units, which consists in heating a tubeand pressing it over a form to furnish a punch corresponding to'each design-unit, sharpening each punch to produce a cutting edge having the contour of the design-unit, arranging the sharpened punches upon a support under the guidance of the pattern, applying to each punch a force acting to retain it as arranged upon the support, surrounding the punches- 1 giae upon the support with aframe, and securing the punches and frame together to form the die.

.4. The method of making cutting dies from patterns made up of separate designunits, which consists in heating a tube and pressing, it over 'a form to furnish a punch corresponding to each design-unit, sharpening each punch to produce a cutting edge havingthe contour of the design-unit, arranging the sharpened punches upon a sup port under the guidance of the pattern and with a surrounding cutting knife, and securing together by metal the punches and knife as positioned upon the supportin accordance with the pattern to form the die, the cutting edges of the punches and knife projecting bey'on d the ad acentsurface'of the retaining 'metah 5. The method of making cutting dies from patterns made u of, separate design-units, which consists in ieating a tube and pressing it over a form to furnish a punch corresponding to each design-unit, sharpening each punch to produce a cutting edgehaving the contour. of the design-unit, arranging the sharpened punches upon a support under the guidance of the ,pattern, applying to each punch a force acting to retain it as arranged upon the support, surrounding the punches upon the support with a frame, and pouring within the frame about the punches a metal having a low melting point as compared with that of the punch-material, sa d metal securing the punches and frame together with the cutting edges of the punches projecting above the surface of the metal.

6. The method of making cutting dies from patterns made up of separate design-units, which consists in heating a tub-e and pressing it over a form to furnish a. punch corresponding to each design-unit, sharpening each punch to produce a cutting edge having the contour of the design-unit, arranging the sharpened punches upon a support under the guidance of the pattern, applying to each punch a force acting to retain it as arrange d upon the support, surrounding the punches upon the support with a frame, pouring within the frame about the punches a metal having a low melting po nt as compared ith that of the punch-material, said metal secur ingthe punches and frame together with the cutting edges of the punches projecting above the surface of the metal, and heating the support and punches prior to the pouring to a temperature insuring a uniform flow of the V retaining metal about the punches.

7. The method of making dies, whi ch consists in heating a tube, swaging the tube over a'form to produce the transverse contour of the punclrelement of a die, forcing a form through the punch to change its contour, placing the punch and asurrounding frame upon; a support, and filling the space between thepunch and frame with metal.

8. The method of making dies, which con-o sists in heating a tube, swaging the tube over a form to produce the transverse contour of the punch-elementof a die, forcing a form through the punch to change its contour, placing the punch and a surrounding frame upon a support, applying to the punch and frame a force acting to retain them in place upon the support, andfilling the space between the punch and frame with metal.

9. The method of making dies, which consists in heating a tube, swaging the tube over a form to produce the transverse contour of the punch-element of a die, forcing a form through the punch to perfect its contour, placing the punch and a surrounding frame upon a support, heating the support, and pouring molten metal upon the support within the frame about the punch.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT R. BRADEN. 

